Ugly situation averted

An emergency meeting on Tuesday in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council averted an ugly situation in New Amsterdam.

The scene in front of the congested Strand New Amsterdam area.

The meeting involved Region Six Chairman, David Permaul Armogan, officials of the Mayor and Town Council of New Amsterdam, including deputy Mayor Harold Debydeen, the hierarchy of the police B division led by Commander Assistant Commissioner Derek Josiah and Traffic Officer Deputy Superintendent Calvin Brutus.
Also present were executives of the Stanleytown, East Bank Berbice Hire car Drivers Association.
This came about after a dispute developed between hire car drivers and authorities over parking space utilized by the many hire cars on the busy Strand New Amsterdam public road. The Guyana Police Force had made moves to regulate the busy area by installing a number of ‘no parking’ and ‘no stopping’ signs in the area.
The area under contention is the stretch Pitt Street and New Street New Amsterdam where a number of businesses including the New Amsterdam market, Republic Bank, Geddes Grant and the recently opened state of the art J’s Supermarket exist.
The business owners were from time to time complaining that the hire and private hire cars were stopping and blocking their entrances thus affecting their businesses.
The hire car drivers were not pleased with the new arrangements which saw them being given parking space some 50 meters away. The drivers felt that it was unfair and would cause hardship on commuters, vendors, the elderly and sick persons coming from the market and other areas with their children and load.
After the meeting the delegation led by the Regional Chairman visited the area and met with some of the business owners to find a practical and or temporary solution to the problem.
After much discussion, owner of the J’s Supermarket agreed that he would allow, for the time being, six cars to park on the parapet of his business premises until a more permanent solution is found. The decision was welcomed by the more than 50 hire car drivers gathered.
Regional Chairman David Armogan and Deputy Mayor Harold Debydeen decided that they would pursue other avenues in the meantime.